Can Saint Mary’s Win The WCC Regular Season Championship?
Only One Value Play When Looking At 2024 WCC Basketball Futures Odds
The West Coast Conference hasn’t been very competitive over the last decade. It’s usually the Gonzaga Bulldogs dominating all of their competition.
However, this season, things are going a bit differently.
The Bulldogs aren’t in first place in the West Coast Conference standings and are two games out from first place. Instead, the St. Mary’s Gaels lead the conference with a 10-0 record.
Behind Gonzaga, San Francisco and Santa Clara have both played exceptionally well and are still in line for a potential West Coast Conference Championship.
No team in the West Coast Conference has won the Championship other than Gonzaga and St. Mary’s since 2008.
Could this year be any different?
Let’s take a look at the 2024 WCC Basketball futures odds as we head to mid-February.
WCC Basketball Standings
| West Coast Conference Teams | Conference Record |
|---|---|
| Saint Mary’s | 10-0 |
| Gonzaga | 8-2 |
| San Francisco | 7-2 |
| Santa Clara | 6-3 |
| San Diego | 4-6 |
| Loyola Marymount | 3-6 |
| Portland | 3-7 |
| Pepperdine | 2-7 |
| Pacific | 0-10 |
Compare these standings to the 2024 WCC Basketball futures odds below.
2024 WCC Basketball Futures Odds
| West Coast Conference Teams | Odds To Win WCC |
|---|---|
| Saint Mary’s | -1000 |
| Gonzaga | +550 |
| San Francisco | +3000 |
| Santa Clara | +50000 |
| San Diego | +100000 |
| Loyola Marymount | +100000 |
| Portland | +100000 |
| Pepperdine | +100000 |
| Pacific | N/A |
Saint Mary’s Gaels (-1000)
The Saint Mary’s Gaels are undefeated in conference play. They also haven’t lost a game since December 23 and have just one loss since Friday, December 1.
On Saturday, Saint Mary’s escaped Gonzaga on the road, 64-62. That’s ultimately why the Gaels have a significant advantage with the odds.
Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s have been going after each other for years. They’re the only two consistent NCAAB teams in the conference.
However, Saint Mary’s hasn’t defeated Gonzaga in the WCC Tournament since 2019. The Gaels also have just two WCC Championships since 2012.
The Gaels are currently one of the best defenses in the nation. They’ve held teams to a 44.7% effective field goal percentage and have allowed opponents to shoot just 43% from inside the arc.
On the other end, the Gaels are dominant on the offensive glass, adding 39.1% of offensive rebounds. That’s good for fifth in the nation.
Saint Mary’s is terrific at rebounding on both ends of the floor. That surely helps.
Gonzaga (+550)
The Gonzaga Bulldogs already have multiple losses in the West Coast Conference. They were stunned by Santa Clara on the road back on January 11, losing that game 77-76.
After earning five straight wins, including a home win against San Francisco, the Bulldogs dropped a home game to Saint Mary’s, 64-62.
They since rebounded with a win against Portland, 96-64 at home, and are now 8-2 in conference play. But the Bulldogs are still 8-2 in conference play and have Santa Clara, San Francisco, and St. Mary’s on the schedule for their final three games of the NCAAB season.
That won’t be an easy stretch for the Bulldogs to finish out the year.
Gonzaga is still excellent on both ends of the floor. Gonzaga has shot 57.8% from inside the arc and has allowed teams to shoot just 44.7%. The Bulldogs have a major advantage around the rim, grabbing 33% of offensive rebounds while allowing 25.3% of offensive rebounds.
Beyond that, the Bulldogs have done a nice job limiting foul shots. Gonzaga doesn’t get to the foul line at a high rate.
Still, the Bulldogs have limited turnovers to 14.6%, which is a solid rate in college basketball.
If the Bulldogs can finish out the season undefeated, they’ll have a chance to win the West Coast Conference. However, their next game is an out-of-conference road game against Kentucky. That could wear them down before their last six WCC games.
San Francisco (+3000)
San Francisco is really good. They’ve only lost two college basketball games in conference play, and those two losses were back-to-back to Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga.
The Dons added wins over Minnesota, Seattle, Fresno State, and Vanderbilt earlier in the season. So they’re legitimate.
However, San Francisco isn’t yet on the same level as the Bulldogs and Gaels.
They’ve been super efficient in a lot of areas. The Dons have allowed only 22.8% of offensive rebounds. They’ve also dominated in the turnover battle, forcing 21% of turnovers on the defensive end.
On offense, San Francisco has shot 58.3% from inside the arc and has still made 34.5% from three-point range via KenPom.
They’re really good at limiting blocked shots and have shot 76.5% from the foul line. The issue is San Francisco rarely gets to the foul line and fouls a lot on the defensive end. That’s one of the many areas holding back this group from getting past Gonzaga and San Francisco.
You’re burning money if you back San Francisco to win the WCC over those two teams. San Francisco will struggle to add positive NCAAB scores against those squads.
If you’re considering diving into the 2024 WCC Basketball futures odds, the only valuable bet is Gonzaga at +550.
For NCAAB betting news, NCAA basketball betting lines, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
